This invention relates to an apparatus for loading panels into a hot press.
Canadian Pat. No. 969,124 and the corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 3,799,366 to Omelchuk disclose a hot press loader which offers significant advantages over the prior art. The panels are loaded into the press by a carriage comprising a plurality of vertically spaced-apart horizontal trays. Before the panels are loaded into the press, it is necessary to square or vertically align the front and back edges of the panels. For this purpose, the Omelchuk invention employs a pair of vertical squaring bars, also referred to as first stop means. In order to align the panels, the carriage is moved part way into the press and the vertical squaring bars are moved inwardly towards the sides of the trays. The carriage is then moved away from the press so the panels engage the squaring bars. This squares and aligns the outer edges of the panels. The carriage can then be moved towards the press and the panels loaded into the press.
The alignment means employed by Omelchuk requires four movements of the carriage each time the press is loaded with panels. Moreover, since the panels enter the press during the alignment operation, the panels can only be aligned when the press is empty. As a consequence, the alignment operation cannot be carried on simultaneously with the pressing operation.